TEHRAN- Two fields of handicrafts, which were obsolete in the northeastern province of North Khorasan, have recently been revived, a provincial tourism chief has said.

Local doll making and Chuli-bafi, a kind of traditional wickerwork, are the revived handicrafts in the province, Mohammadreza Qahremanian announced on Tuesday.

Chuli-bafi is the art of making decorative objects and utensils using willow tree twigs, which also has been awarded the National Seal of Excellence.

As handicraft fields are playing an important role in creating job opportunities and generating better income for the locals while they also show the region’s culture and customs, the province’s cultural heritage department plans to support active fields as well as revive the neglected ones, the official added.

He also noted that in reviving these fields their packaging and sale were also considered to reach better domestic and global markets for the crafters’ products.

Though North Khorasan province may not be the first choice of travelers, its tourism is getting momentum.

According to Lonely Planet, most foreign tourists pass straight through North Khorasan in transit between Mashhad and Gorgan, but if you have time to explore, it's worth diverting south from the capital, Bojnurd, towards Esfarayen, famed for its wrestling tournaments, the remarkable citadel of Belqays and the partly preserved stepped village of Roein some 20km north. Although a lot of new building spoils the effect in parts of the village, Roein is considered Khorasan’s answer to the well-known Masuleh and is a possible starting point for hikes to little-visited mountain villages.

ABU/MG